Activists want open hearing of oil case

Emmanuel Gyezaho

Kampala, Uganda.

Activists working on the sidelines of the oil and gas sector have questioned why arbitration proceedings in the long-standing multibillion shilling tax dispute between Uganda and Heritage Oil which opened in London yesterday are being held in camera.

In a protest note issued to media houses yesterday, the activists said conducting arbitration proceedings behind closed doors was depriving Ugandan citizens the right to information about management of the country’s critical oil wealth.

“This closed-door arbitration compounds things by robbing Ugandans of access to vital information about how their resources are being managed,” said Mr Henry Bazira, chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition on Oil, adding, “… Greater transparency now is vital to restoring confidence in the government’s handling of the sector.”

Ugandan team in UK

Attorney General Peter Nyombi is currently in London with a team of lawyers leading Uganda’s mission. A team of four MPs last week travelled to London to observe the proceedings.

The tribunal is expected to decide whether UK-listed Heritage Oil should pay $435 million (more than Shs1 trillion) in capital gains tax to the government an amount equivalent to 10 per cent of Uganda’s 2012-13 fiscal year budget.

In the statement, UK-based campaigner Global Witness said concerned parties should desist from holding proceedings in camera.

Source: Daily Monitor (29/08/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Activists+want+open+hearing+of+oil+case/-/688334/1489086/-/v4vkk4z/-/index.html